Current controller



Sept. 8, 1931. I PAYNE 1,822,234

I CURRENT CONTROLLER.

7 Filed April 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet I 2 5/ 5'0 Z7 3/ i 4/ M 5/ 52 se at- 8,

H. PAYNE CURRENT CONTROLLER Filed April 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I AA AM VVVVV Ei'agne,

Patented Sept. 8, 1931 HAROLD PAYNE, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA CURRENT CONTROLLER Application filed April 14, 1930. Serial. No. 444,268.

Another object is to provide a current con- 'troller which is adapted tobe locked in the position last assumed, when the current took an extreme drop, or was cut off completely,

whereby to prevent overload when the current is again raised, or turned on.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of the controller.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a side view of the controller.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4'4 of Figure 2.

Figurefi is a vertical sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a diagrammaticview of a lighting circuit, showing the position of the controller.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents a hardwood frame which is adapted to support the parts of the controller. and which is adapted to be placed in a. tank filled with oil. Extending transverselyof the intermediate portion of the frame 10 is a partition ll, on which are supported the solenoid coils .2. the lower end of the bores 13, of which being disposed in registry with the openings 14, in said parti tion, to permit passage into said bores of the laminated cores 15. These cores have their lower ends secured to the transverse bar or yoke 16. the opposite ends of which are provided with the openings 17, in which are secured the lower ends of the upwardly extending tubes 18. Secure d to the lower end of the frame 10 are the vertically extending: rods 19, on which are telescoped the said "Ca pied by the tubes 18, andon which said tubes slide, as the yoke and cores move upwardly and downwardly. On the upper ends of the tubes -18 are disposed the series of removable weighted disks 20, held by the nuts. Removably bolted to the sides of the yoke or bar 16 are the removable weighted plates 21. In the upper member 22, of the frame 10, adjacent its ends, are the circular openings 23, through which the upper ends of the tubes 18, together with their weight disks 20, may pass as the yoke and cores move upwardly and downwardly, within the bores of the coils 12. In the intermediate portion of this top member 22, and extending longitudinally therein, is a slot 24, and intersecting the intermediate portion of said slot, is a transverse slot 25. It will be noted that the, upper ends of the bores of the coils 12 are directly beneath the ends of the slot 24. Extending transversely of the slot 24, and lying within the said slot 25, is a shaft 26. and pivotally connected to each end of said shaft is a rod 27, which extends downwardly through one end of said slot 25. Mounted on the side walls of the slot 24, intermediate the shaft 26. and the ends of said slot, are the metalbearing-plates 28, in which are supported the ends of the trans verse shafts 29. Mounted on each of-these 'lever 30, the outer end ofwbich is formed with a head 31, serving as an armature for movement into and out of the upper end of the bore of a coil 12. The inner end of each of the levers 30 is provided with the apertured arms 32. which overlap with the similar arms of the other lever, so that their openings register to receive the shaft 26 therethrough, said openings being elongated longitudinally of the levers, whereby to compensate for the tired pivotal movement of said levers. and the pivotal connection between said shaft and the levers. Secured to the intermediate portion of the yoke 16, and extending upwardly through an opening 33, in the partition ll. between the coils 12, is a stem 34, which has a slight downward taper. as clearly seen in the drawings.

upper face of the partition 11 isa transversely extending angle strip 35,

and pivotally mounted on the upwardly extending wing of said strip, adjacent the ends thereof. are the obtuse angular or bell crank levers 36, each having the outer end of its outer arm pivotally connected with the lower end of one of the rods 27. Pivotally mounted on said strip 35, at opposite sides of the rod or stem 34, is a cam 37 which has a slotted tail 38, receiving a pivot 39, carried by the adjacent end of the bell crank lever 36. It will be readily seen that. upon upward movement of the rods 27 the cranks 36 will be rocked, whereby to rock the cams away from the tapered stem 34. and thereby permit the free vertical movement of the yoke 16 and cores 15. Downward movement of said rods '27 will rock the cams toward the stem-34,

whereby to engage therewith and hold the same, together with the yoke and cores. from downward movement. The lower ends of the coils 12 are connected together as at 40, while the outer ends of said coils areconnected with the binding terminals 41, mountwill not cause a bump.

ed on the said upper member 22, of the frame 10.

In the diagrammatic view. Figure 6. 42 represents the power line. across which is connected the lighting circuit 43, and in this lighting circuit. between the lamps 44, and one side of said line. is disposed the controller. represented. as a whole. by the letter A.

It will be' understood that, when the current is on, the coils l2 become energized as drawing downwardly the armatures 31. with the result that the cores 15 are drawn upwardly into the bores of said coils. The degree of force of the magnetism. within the coils, governs the pull of said coils. while the weights offer a certain amount of resistance to such pull, whereby to produce a counterbalance between the two forces, with the resu t that anv sudden change in the current in the line. either an increase or decrease,

This is particularly due to the presence of the clutch device. It will be noted that the rod 34 is tapered, with the larger end thereof uppermost, so that the earns 37 will grip said rod. should the cores and yoke tend to drop, when the current is cut oil, thereby holding the cores in the position last assumed, within the bores of the coils. Then, when the current is again turned on. the'cores will have a position within the coils. which will affect the impedance as well as the reactance, thus preventing any overload in the lighting circuit, should there be an increase in the current. 7

It will. further be noted that, when the current is on, the armatures act upon the cams 37, to mov them out of engagement with the rod 34, whereby to permit the cores to move freely into and out of the coils, in accordance with the varying of the current.

What is claimed is:

1. A current controller for electric circuits including an electroma etic device having solenoid coils, cores adjustablelinto and out of the coils in accordance with the current flowing through the coils, an armature operable by the electromagnetic device upon energization of the coils to permit free movement of said cores and releasable upon breaking of the circuit to hold the cores in adjusted position within the coils.

2. A current controll r for electric circuits including an electromagnetic device including an electromagnetic device comprising solenoid coils, cores movable into and out of the coils having a connecting yoke, an armature movable into and out of each of the coils, a rod carried by said yoke, cam means movable into and out of engagement with said rod, and connections between said armatures and cams whereby, when the circuit is closed said cams are released from the rod to permit free movement of the cores,

and upon breaking of the circuit said cams are engaged with the rod to hold the cores in their last adjusted position within the coils.

4. A current controller for an electrical circuit comprising a device responsive to fluctuations of current in said circuit, and means for retaining the device inthe'position assumed when the circuit is opened, whereby to prevent an excessive flow of current upon reclosing of said circuit.

5. A current controller for an electrical circuit comprising a device responsive to fluctuations of current in said circuit, and

means operable by saiddevice for retaining the device in the position assumed when the circuit is opened, whereby to prevent an excessive flow of current upon reclosing said circuit.

6. A current controller for an electrical circuit comprising a device responsive to fluctuations of current in said circuit, means for retaining the device in the position assumed when the circuit is opened, whereby to prevent an excessive flow of current upon reclosing of said circuit, and means for releasing said retaining means, whereby to permit said device to resume its responsive action, after the reclosing of the circuit.

7. A current controller for an electrical circuit comprising a device responsive to fluctuations of current in said circuit, and.

means operable by said device for retain ing the device in the position assumed when the circuit is opened, whereby to prevent an excessive flow of current upon reclosing said circuit, and operable by said device for releasing the retaining means, upon reclosing of said circuit, whereby to permit said device to resume its responsive action.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HAROLD PAYNE. 

